Gathering and loading machine



July 12, 1938. F. CARTLIDGE GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 original Filed July 26, 1933 JVM July 12, 1938. F. CARTLIDGE GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Filed July .26, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 war neg;

July 12, 1938. 1 E 2,123,328

GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Filed July 26, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 12,1938. F. CARTLIDGE GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed July 26, 1953 July 12, 1938.

F. CARTLIDGE GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Filed July 26, 1933 6 Shets-Sheet 5 July 12, 1938. V F. CARTLIDGE GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Fiied July 26, 1933 s Sheets$heet s at O Patented July 12, 1938 UNITED STATES GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE Frank Cartlidge, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Original application July 26, 1933, Serial No.

682,248, now Patent No. 2,066,137.

Divided and 7 this application April 4, 1934, Serial No. 718,924

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in gathering and loading machines particularly adapted for loading coal at the working face of a mine.

My invention has as its principal objects to provide a simple and efiicient mechanism of the character described, including a gathering and loading element mounted on and extending in advance of a self-propelled truck, which gathering and loading element is capable of being swung to various angles with respect to the truck for gathering in front of and to each side of the track adjacent the mine bottom or at points disposed above the mine bottom, which mechanism is constructed with a view towards utmost compactness and maneuverability in mines.

This invention is a division of a prior applicaticn, Serial No. 632,248, filed July 26, 1933, which issued as Patent No. 2,066,137, December 29, 1936, and entitled improvements in Gathering and loading machines. l

Other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds.

My invention may be more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial fragmentary enlarged top plan view of the device shown in Figure 1 with certain parts broken away and in section to more clearly show certain details thereof;

Figure 4 is a partial fragmentary enlarged side elevation of the device shown in Figure 1 with certain parts broken away and shown in vertical longitudinal section to more clearly show certain details thereof;

Figure 5 is a partial fragmentary enlarged plan View of a portionof the device embodying my invention drawn to a larger scale than Figure 3 and showing certain parts in section not shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a partial fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 68 of Figure 4;

Figure '7 is a partial fragmentary enlarged plan view'of a portion of the device shown in Figure 1 with the gathering and loading element in a different position than in Figure 3 to show certain other details of my invention than are shown in Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken substantially 1 along line 8-8 of Figure 4;

Figure 9 is a partial enlarged fragmentary detail plan View showing certain details of the elevating mechanism not shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a sectional View taken substantially along line llll0 of Figure 3; and

Figure 11 is a partial enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the forward end of the gathering mechanism.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures.

With reference now to the drawings and Figures 1 and 2 in particular, the main elements of the device embodying my invention are similar to those disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,027,091, and consist of a track-mounted truck or main frame ill having an inclined gathering and load ing element ll extending forwardly thereof and a discharge conveyor l2 extending from beneath the rear end of said gathering and loading element and upwardly and rearwardly therefrom overhanging the rear end of the main frame It for discharging material into suitable receptacles, such as mine cars.

The main operating parts are driven from a suitable motor l3, herein preferably shown as being an electric motor. The motor I3 is mounted on the main frame I!) rearwardly of the rearwardmost truck axles and its axis of rotation is substantially in alignment with the longitudinal center line of the machine and serves as a drive means for the truck wheels for driving the loading machine about the mine and .feeding the gathering and loading element I I into or retracting said gathering and loading element from the material which is being loaded, for elevating or lowering said gathering and loading element, and

swinging said gathering and loading element about a vertical axis, the details of which drive will more clearly appear as this specification proceeds.

The main frame Ii! 'ismounted on a pair of floating truck axles l4, l4 having track wheels l5, l5 thereon adapted to engage and ride along a mine track IS. The main frame I!) is located inside of the track wheels l5, l5 and each truck axle M is journaled in axle boxes'l'l, I! adjacent the inner sides of the track wheels l5, l5, which axle boxes are freely slidable in vertical guides formed by pedestals I8, It on opposite sides of the main frame ID. A tie piece I9 is provided to tie the lower ends of each pedestal Hi together (see Figure 4).

The track wheels l5, l5 are driven from the motor l3 by a suitable gear train which includes a motor pinion 23, reduction gears generally indicated by reference character 24, a longitudinally extending shaft 25 driven therefrom, a bevel pinion 21 on the forward end of said shaft, bevel gears 28, 28 freely mounted on a transversely extending shaft 29, suitable friction clutch mechanism adapted to connect either of said bevel gears to said transversely extending shaft, suitable change speed gear reduction mechanism generally indicated by reference character 30, but not shown in detail since it is clearly shown and described in my aforementioned prior application, a chain and sprocket drive 3|, a sprocket 32 driven therefrom,'a drive chain 33 meshing with said sprocket and driving a sprocket 34 on the forward truck axle l4. The forward and rearward truck axles are operatively connected together by means of a suitable chain and sprocket drive, generally indicated by reference character 35. A suitable braking means (not shown in detail), similar to that shown in my aforementioned prior application, is provided for holding the machine from movement when desired.

The truck drive and friction clutch mechanism for selectively connecting the bevel gears 28, 28 to the shaft 29 is controlled by a hand lever 26, adjacent the forward truck axle, and operatively connected with said friction clutch mechanism by means of suitable link and lever mechanism in a suitable manner, but not herein described in detail since it is no portion of my present invention.

With reference now in particular to the details of the gathering and loading element II, said gathering and loading element includes an inclined frame 36 mounted on a turning frame 31 for pivotal movement with respect thereto about a horizontal axis spaced above the main frame In and over the forward end of the discharge conveyor l2. The turning frame 31 includes a housing and support member 38 pivotally con-- nected to the main frame I0 on an upstanding boss 39 disposed forwardly of the forwardmost truck axles H but rearwardly of the forward end of said main frame. The forward under portion of the housing and support member 38 is provided with a relatively flat surface having a flat bearing member thereon adapted to have bearing engagement with a bearing member 40 secured to the upper side of the forward portion of the main frame I0.

Side frame members 4|, 4| extend upwardly from opposite sides of the housing and support member 38 in spaced parallel relation with respect to each other and terminate rearwardly of the forward end of the discharge conveyor l2. The side frame members 4|, 4|, together with bearing cap pieces 42, 42, form a pivotal support for the inclined frame 36 to permit pivotal movement of said inclined frame with respect to the member 38 about a horizontal axis coaxial with a, shaft 43, which'sh'aft is driven from the motor |3 in a manner which will hereinafter be more fully described and forms a means for driving a conveyor, generally indicated by reference character 44, along said inclined frame.

The forward end of the inclined frame 36 is provided with an inclined apron 45 which extends forwardly therefrom from a point disposed forwardly of the forward end of the conveyor 44 and rearwardly along and laterally beyond the sides thereof.

The inclinedapron 45 is herein shown as being disposed at a greater angle of incidence with respect to the ground upon Which the machine rests than the inclined frame 36 and is provided with a pair of spaced orbitally guided gathering chains 46, 46 disposed on opposite sides of the conveyor 44 and carrying gathering arms for gathering and depositing loose material upon said conveyor. The gathering chains 46, 46 extend from a point disposed forwardly of the forward end of the conveyor 44 and rearwardly along said conveyor in diverging paths to aid in enabling the gathering arms to clear the material deposited on the conveyor 44. The advantages in inclining the apron 45 at a greater angle of incidence with respect to the ground upon which the machine rests than the inclined frame 36 are that the longitudinal dimensions of the machine are kept to a minimum and the distance material must be moved along said inclined apron by the gathering chains 46, 46 to be deposited onto the conveyor 44 is kept down to a. minimum.

A shoe 48, adapted to engage the ground, is formed beneath the forward portion of the inclined apron 45 so that said apron may be supported on the mine bottom for sliding movement therealong and wedged under the material which is being loaded. A shield 49 extends downwardly from the rearward end of the apron 45 forwardly of and adjacent the conveyor 44 and conforms generally to the path of said conveyor as it moves around its direction changing device. It should be noted that the angle of the gathering arms on the gathering chains 46, 46 as said gathering arms move away from the conveyor 44 with respect to the inner sides of the apron 45 and sides of the inclined frame 36 is such as to deflect material onto said conveyor as said gathing arms approach said apron, which arrangement prevents said gathering arms from carrying material beyond said conveyor, as has been fully described in my prior Patent No. 2,073,142.

The conveyor 44 may be of any type well known to those skilled in the art but is herein shown as being a flight conveyor and includes a plurality of endless chains 50, 56 threaded around sprockets 5|, 5| keyed to the drive shaft 43. From the sprockets 5|, 5| the chains 50, 50 are guided forwardly along the under side of the inclined frame 36 to a point adjacent the forward end thereof over idlers 52, 52, under the sprockets for driving the gathering chains 46, 46. From thence said endless chains extend forwardly around sprockets 53, 53 on a shaft 54 disposed adjacent the shield 49 and the forward end of said inclined conveyor. From the direction changing devices 53, 53, the endless chains 50 extend upwardly along the inclined frame 36 over a plate 55 so that flights 51, 51 carried between said endless chains may move material along said inclined conveyor frame and discharge it into the discharge conveyor |2.

The endless chains 50, 50 have operative connection with the gathering chains 46, 46 at a point rearwardly of the shaft 54 for driving said gathering chains in a closed orbital path at a lower rate of speed than the speed of the conveyor 44 in a manner similar to that disclosed in my hereinbefore-mentioned prior Patent No. 2,073,142.

It should be noted that the plate 55 is so formed adjacent the apron 45 as to be inclined with respect to the ground at the same angle as said apron and that the angle of the conveyor 44 conforms to the angle of said apron to a point adjacent the rearward end thereof when it conforms to the angle of the inclined conveyor frame 3.6. 'With such an arrangement, clearance between the underside of the conveyor fr'ametfi and mechanism for driving the gathering chains 48, 41,6 and the ground may be increased so that the shoe 48 may more readily be engaged with the mine bottom than formerly, especially in cases where the bottom is irregular or lumps of material are on the bottom rearwardly of the place where it is desired to position said shoe. Such a construction combined with the fact that the gathering chains 48, 46 diverge from the conveyor 44 adjacent their upper end; the fact that the angle of the gathering arms to the sides of the conveyor frame 35, as they move away from said conveyor and approach said conveyor frame, is such as to deflect material onto said conveyor instead of carrying material beyond said conveyor, and the fact that the speed of said conveyor is greater than the speed of said gathering chains enables said gathering arms to effectively clear themselves of material on said conveyor and still efficiently load material thereon.

With reference now in particular to the drive for the conveyor 44 from the motor I3 and the drive to the swinging and. elevating means for the gatheringand loading element l i, a bevel pinion 58 meshes with and is driven from the bevel gears 28, 28. The bevel pinion 88 is keyed on the rearward end of a longitudinal shaft 59 for driving said shaft. A shaft 98 is journaled in the main frame I0 coaxial with the longitudinal shaft 59 and is operatively connected thereto by means of a collar 60%. The purpose of such an arrangement is to permit accessibility to the parts and ready assembly or tearing down of the machine.

A bevel pinion BI is keyed on the forward end of the shaft 88 and meshes with and drives a bevel gear 82 journaled for rotation about an axis coaxial with the boss 39. The bevel gear 92 meshes with and. drives a bevel pinion 63 keyed on a shaft 64 journaled in the housing and support member 38 of the turning frame 81 in suitable anti-friction bearing devices in a usual manner; 'A bevel pinion is keyed on the forward end of the shaft 64 and meshes with and drives a bevel gear 68 keyed on a shaft 81 extending transversely of the turning frame 31. The shaft 61 is journaled in the turning frame 31 on suitable antif riction bearing devices in-a usual manner and has a sprocket 89 keyed to its outer end which meshes with and drives an endless drive chain lil extending upwardly therefrom and having connection with a drive sprocket H mounted on the drive shaft 43 for the conveyor 44 for free rotation with respect thereto.

A clutch housing I2 is keyed to the hub of the drive sprocket II and is driven thereby. Suitable friction disks are operatively connected with the clutch housing 12 and are adapted to be engaged by suitable friction disks operatively connected with a driven member 73 keyed to an end of the drive shaft t3. An engaging member 14 is adapted to engage the respective friction disks connected with the clutch housing I2 and drive sprocket "I l and said respective friction disks are engaged with each other by means of a compression spring I5 carried in a suitable chamber formed integral with a cover it for the clutch housing I2. Pressure exerted on the clutch disks may be adjusted by means of a set screw 'I'! adapted to have engagement with a plate 18, which plate abuts and has engagement with the outer endof the compression spring 15.

' tical shaft I98.

'The drive shaft 43 is hollow and hasa rod I9 extending therethrough and operatively connected with the engaging member 14 for disengaging the disks connected with the clutch housing 12 from. the disks connected with the driving member 13 upon lateral movement of said rod. A collar 88 is threaded in the opposite end of the rod I9 and is journaled within a member 8| by means of a suitable anti-friction bearing 82. The member 8| is adapted to be engaged by eccentric disks 83, 88 secured to a shaft 84 having a handle 8'5 keyed to its outer end. Turning the handle 85 in one direction engages the eccentric disks 83, 83 with the member 8| which in turn moves the rod i9 against thecompression spring I5 and disengages the clutch disks and thus disconnects the drive shaft 43 from the drive sprocket H. Thus it may be seen that a friction control clutch has been provided for permitting the conveyor 44 and gathering chains 45, 46 to be operatively connected with the motor !3, which clutch mechanism is adjustable to permit automatic disconnection of said gathering mechanism and conveyor from said motor upon overload thereof.

The gathering and loading element I! may be swung from one side of the truck or main frame ID to the other in reverse directions without reversal of the motor I3 by means of a pair of bevel gears 8 86 coaxial with and selectively driven from the shaft 67. The bevel gears 86, 86 mesh with and drive a bevel gear 8'! keyed on a shaft 88 journaled in the housing and support member 38 of the turning frame 81 in a suitable manner.

Suitable friction'clutch devices 89, 89, herein shown as being friction disk clutches, are connected with the bevel gears 86, 86 for selectively driving either of said bevel gears from. the shaft El and driving the bevel gear 87 and shaft 88 at a frictionally controlled speed in reverse direction without reversal of the motor I3.

The friction clutches 89, 89 are operated by means of a rod 88 slidable in a bored portion of the shaft 8'! by means of engaging members 9!. 9i operatively connected to said rod and slidably movable in slots formed in the shaft 81 so that when one friction clutch 89 is in an engaged position the other is in a disengaged position and vice versa. The outer end of the rod 98 is threaded and has a collar 93 threaded thereto. Another collar 94 is threaded on the threaded end of the rod and is adapted to abut the collar 93. A clutch collar 95 is journaled on the collar 93 both for rotational and thrusting loads. A hand lever 98 on a vertical shaft 91 is operatively connected with the clutch collar 95 in a suitable manner so that movement of said hand lever in one direction or another will move the rod 99 in one direction or another for selectively driving the shaft 88 in opposite directions at .a frictionally controlled speed. The friction clutches 89, 89 may be adiiusted by movement of the collar 93 .along the rod 98.

A worm 98 is keyed to the shaft 88 and meshes with and drives a worm gear 89 keyed on a ver- The vertical shaft I88 is journaled in the turning frame 8'! and is herein shown as having a sprocket NH secured to its lower end which meshes with a flexible drive chain I82 secured to opposite sides of the main frame If! adjacent its ends and extending around an arcuate forward end of said main frame so that rotation of the sprocket I M in one direction or another will turn the turning frame 31 with respect to the main frame ID for swinging the gathering and loading element II about the axis of the boss 39.

It should herein be noted that the worm 98 and worm gear 99 are not of the self-locking type. Accordingly, when the forward end of the gathering and loading element II encounters an obstruction, or where the load imposed on the worm gear 99 is excessive, either of the clutches 89, 89 will slip, depending upon the position or direction of swinging movement of said gathering and loading element. This will prevent chattering and breakage of parts and will also prevent the gathering and loading element II from derailing the machine when being swung during the loading operation to one side or the other of the track. The arrangement is such, and the friction clutches 89, 89 may be so adjusted, as to cooperate with the track wheels I5, I5 and axles I4, I4 and cause a slight movement of the frame with respect to the .axles when the gathering and loading element II is swung to one side of the track or the other under a load and shift the center of gravity of the machine from one side of the truck frame to the other dependingupon the direction in which the gathering and loading element II is swung, thus increasing the friction of the track wheels against the track where the load is greatest and minimizing the possibility of derailing of the machine.

The gathering and loading element II is so arranged that the greater portion of its weight when in a loading position is carried by suitable compression members, herein shown as being compression springs I03, I03. The compression springs I03, I03 are interposed between the turning frame 31 and conveyor frame 36 adjacent opposite sides thereof and encircle shafts I04, I04 pivotally secured to said turning frame at a point disposed forwardly of the forward end of the main frame I and telescoped within sleeves I05, I pivotally secured to the outer sides of said conveyor frame in a suitable manner. The advantages in carrying the greater part of the weight of the gathering and loading element II on the compression springs I03, I03 are that the loads on the main frame I0 are more evenly distributed during the loading operation and the tendency for the front end of the machine to rise above the rails during the loading operation is eliminated. The reasons for this are that the machine must be so designed that it will be evenly balanced when the forward end of the gathering and loading element is in an extreme elevated position with respect to the mine bottom. Thus, if the gathering and loading element were to rest on the mine bottom during the loading operation, a greater portion of its weight would be taken from the forward end of the main frame I0 with the result that the forward track wheels would be raised above the track. The compression springs I03, I03 are so designed that a greater portion of the weight of the gathering and loading element will be taken by said springs and transmitted to the forward end of the main frame I0, thus equalizing the weight on said main frame during loading along the bottom.

The means for pivoting the gathering and loading element II and the inclined frame 36 about the axis of the drive shaft 43 and raising or lowering the forward end of said gathering and loading element includes a pair of extensible members H2, H2, herein preferably shown as being threaded shafts threaded within hubs H3, H3 of worm gears H4, H4. The worm gears I I 4, I I 4 are shown as being J'ournaled in housings I I5, I I5 pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the turning frame 31 (see Figs. 1, 4, 8, and 9).

A member H6 is secured to the upper end of each threaded shaft II 2 by means of a suitable pin in the usual manner. The upper portion of the member H6 is forked and carries a roller II1 between the prongs of said forked portion. Each roller H1 is adapted to engage the undersurface of a bearing plate II8 secured to the inclined frame 36. A dovetail guide II 9 extends outwardly from the member H6 and is adapted to engage a corresponding dovetail guide I formed by parallel spaced inwardly beveled strips I2I, I2I secured to the inner side of a plate member I22, which plate member in turn is secured to each side frame member 4I. Likewise, a guide member I23 extends downwardly and inwardly from each member H6 and is adapted to engage a guide secured to the inclined frame 36 and extending perpendicularly thereto.

The Worm gears I I4, I I4 mesh with and are driven by worms I24, I24 on a horizontal shaft I25. A sprocket I26 is fixed to the horizontal shaft I and is driven from a parallel spaced horizontal shaft by means of a sprocket I28 and drive chain I29.

The sprocket I28 is keyed to a hollow stub shaft I30, which stub shaft in turn is formed integral with a socket I3I keyed to an end of a hollow shaft I33. The hollow shaft I33 is journaled in a suitable housing on anti-friction bearings, which housing in turn is secured to the turning frame 31. tively driven from the motor I3 in opposite directions without reversal of said motor at a frictionally controlled speed by means of oppositely facing bevel gears I 34, I34 carried on the shaft I33 for free rotation with respect thereto and selectively connected thereby by means of friction clutches I35, I35. The friction clutches I35, I35 are operated by means of a rod I36 passing through the hollow stub shaft I and hollow shaft I33 and having connection with members I 31, I 31, which members pass through suitable slots formed in the hollow shaft I33 and have operative engagement with the friction clutches I35, I for connecting either one of the bevel gears I34, I34 with said shaft. The rod I38 is shifted by means of a suitable collar I38 threaded thereon, clutch fork I39, and hand lever I40 operatively connected with said clutch fork, so that when said hand lever is in one position the shaft I33 and sprocket I28 will be driven in one direction, and when said hand lever is in an opposite position said shaft and sprocket will be driven in an opposite direction.

The bevel gears I 34, I34 are driven in opposite directions by means of a bevel gear I M on the upper end of a vertical shaft I43. A bevel pinion I44 is keyed on the lower end of the vertical shaft I43 and is driven from the bevel gear 66 keyed on the shaft 61.

It may now be seen that the gathering and loading element II may be swung from one side of the machine to another about a vertical axis disposed rearwardly of its rearward end in reverse directions without reversal of the motor at a frictionally controlled speed, that the forward end of said gathering element may be elevated or lowered without reversal of the motor at a frictionally controlled speed, and that the conveyor 44 and gathering arms 48 may be driven independently of swinging or elevating or lower- The shaft I33 may be selecing of the gathering and loading element at a frictionally controlled speed. Thus the positioning operations are independent of each other and independent of operation of the conveyor 44 and gathering chains 46, 46. With such an arrangement, the gathering and loading element Ii may readily be manipulated and wedged into or freed from the material which it is loading independent of operation of the conveyor 44 and gathering chains 46. Furthermore, each one of these operations is controlled by a separate operating member through independently operated friction clutches in a simplified and efficient manner permitting independent operation of the various moving parts of the machine when moving along the rails or loading and disconnection of the parts from the motor l3 upon overload.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction or arrangement of the various parts may be altered or changed without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the particular form shown, excepting as it may be limited by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a loading machine, a main frame, a swinging frame mounted on said main frame for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, an inclined conveyer mounted on said swinging frame for pivotal movement with respect thereto about a horizontal transverse axis, a shaft mounted in said swinging frame beneath and parallel to the axis of pivotal movement of said conveyer, means driven from said shaft for swinging said swinging frame, other means driven from said shaft for elevating said inclined conveyer about said transverse axis, a pair of operating levers disposed adjacent one side of said main frame for independently controlling swinging and elevation of said conveyer, a conveyer drive shaft disposed coaxial with the axis of pivotal movement of said conveyer, a drive connection between said shafts including a driving member coaxial with said conveyer drive shaft disposed adjacent the end thereof opposite said operating levers, a driven member keyed to said conveyer drive shaft, friction means interposed between said driving and driven members and a spring for engaging said friction means with said driving member and arranged to permit slippage between said driving and driven members upon a predetermined load on said shaft, and means operable from the same end of said shaft as said first-mentioned control levers for permitting said friction means to be selectively disengaged from said driving member comprising a rod extending through said shaft and means for translationally moving said rod against said spring.

2. In a loading machine, a main frame, an inclined conveyer mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal transverse axis, a shaft mounted beneath and parallel to said axis of pivotal movement of said conveyer, means driven from said shaft for elevating said inclined conveyer about said transverse axis, an operating lever on one side of said frame for controlling elevation of said conveyer about said transverse axis, a conveyer drive shaft disposed coaxial with the axis of pivotal movement of said conveyer, a selective drive connection between said shafts including a friction clutch coaxial with said conveyer drive shaft and disposed adjacent the end thereof opposite said operating lever, yieldable means for engaging said clutch and arranged to permit slippage thereof upon a predetermined load on said shaft, and means operable from the same end of said shaft as said control lever for permitting selective disengagement of said clutch comprising a rod extending through said shaft, and means for translationally moving said rod against said yieldable means.

FRANK CARTLIDGE. 

